Mobile terminal

ABSTRACT

A mobile terminal having a first body including a front surface, a rear surface, and a pair of side surfaces connecting the front surface to the rear surface, the pair of side surfaces extending in a longitudinal direction of the first body, a display located at the front surface of the first body, and a second body having a front surface, a rear surface, and a pair of side surfaces connecting the front surface to the rear surface, the pair of side surfaces extending in a longitudinal direction of the second body, the second body being moveable with respect to the first body to expose a portion of the front surface of the second body. The pair of side surfaces of the second body are slidable along the pair of side surfaces of the first body and a portion of the pair of side surfaces of the second body overlaps a portion of the pair of side surfaces of the first body.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of prior application Ser. No.11/649,756, filed Jan. 5, 2007, which claims the benefit of KoreanPatent Application No. 10-2006-0079336, filed on Aug. 22, 2006, all ofwhich are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal, and moreparticularly, to a mobile terminal that can enhance user usageconvenience with a slimmer terminal.

2. Description of Related Art

In general, a mobile terminal means a cellular phone, a PDA (PersonalDigital Assistant), and the like, which a user can carry withhimself/herself to send/receive various kinds of information, such asimages, voices, and text massages via wireless communication or toreceive various services via connection to a predetermined server.

That form of the mobile terminal, especially a cellular phone, hasevolved from an initial bar type into a flip type, folder type, and aslide member type according to consumer demand and technicaldevelopment.

Recently, the decreasing thickness of a mobile terminal has become a keypart for the success of mobile terminal technology in satisfying auser's demand, because a user prefers a slimmer and lighter mobileterminal with a large display window to enjoy various multi-mediafunctions as well as to talk on the terminal.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a conventional slide type mobile terminal.FIGS. 1 and 2 are side sectional views illustrating a state where aconventional mobile terminal slides up and slides down, respectively.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional slide type mobile terminalincludes a body 10 and a LCD (liquid crystal display) part 20. A mainPCB (printed circuit board) 12 is embedded longitudinally from an upperend of the mobile terminal to a lower end thereof. The LCD part 20 isprovided on a front surface of the body 10 to be capable of sliding onthe front surface and has a LCD 22 therein to display various kinds ofinformation.

The body 10 and the LCD part 20 dually split the conventional mobileterminal from the upper end to the lower end. The body 10 furtherincludes an antenna, a keypad 14 and a battery 15. The antenna is anembedded antenna which transmits/receives a signal to/from a basestation and the like. The keypad 14 is provided in a lower portion ofthe body 10 to be exposable by a user's sliding up the LCD part 20 sothat he/she may use keys. The battery 15 is mounted to a rear surface ofthe body 10 to supply power to various sub-assemblies provided withinthe conventional mobile terminal. The LCD part 20 further includes a PCB23 that is electrically connected to the LCD 22.

Also, a FPCB (flexible printed circuit board) 24 passes through the body10 and the LCD part 20 to connect the main PCB 12 to the PCB 23 for theLCD 22. Although not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the conventional mobileterminal has a sliding device installed between the body 10 and the LCDpart 20 to enable the LCD part 20 to slide upwardly.

However, because the main PCB and the PCB for LCD are verticallyprovided from the upper end to the lower end of the mobile terminal, itis difficult to reduce the overall thickness of the mobile terminalfarther.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, there is useless space created partiallywithin the body 10 and the LCD part 20. Thereby, the conventional mobileterminal has another problem of inappropriate space utility.

Furthermore, the conventional mobile terminal has still another problemin that it is difficult to make it slimmer, because the antenna shouldbe installed in either the body or the LCD part.

Still further, the conventional mobile terminal has still anotherproblem in that the upper part thereof is relatively lighter than thelower part when the LCD part slides up, thereby not affording muchprotection from impacts to the display.

Finally, the conventional mobile terminal has still another problem thatit is limited to make it slimmer, because of the thickness of slidingdevice additionally installed between the body and the LCD part.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a mobile terminal whichcan enhance a user's usage convenience and satisfaction and which canovercome the limitation of a conventional slim mobile terminal toutilize what would otherwise be useless space and to make a mobileterminal slimmer.

Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will beset forth in part in the description which follows and in part willbecome apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art uponexamination of the following or may be learned from practice of theinvention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may berealized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in thewritten description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.

To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with thepurpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, amobile terminal includes a first body having a front surface, a rearsurface, and a pair of side surfaces connecting the front surface to therear surface, the pair of side surfaces extending in a longitudinaldirection of the first body, a display located at the front surface ofthe first body, and a second body having a front surface, a rearsurface, and a pair of side surfaces connecting the front surface to therear surface, the pair of side surfaces extending in a longitudinaldirection of the second body, the second body being moveable withrespect to the first body to expose a portion of the front surface ofthe second body. The pair of side surfaces of the second body areslidable along the pair of side surfaces of the first body and a portionof the pair of side surfaces of the second body overlaps a portion ofthe pair of side surfaces of the first body.

In a further aspect, the mobile terminal may include an input devicelocated at the front surface of the first body. The input device mayinclude a touch pad.

In another aspect, the mobile terminal may include a keypad located atthe front surface of the first body.

In yet another aspect, the mobile terminal may include a camera locatedat the rear surface of the first body.

In still another aspect, the mobile terminal may include an input devicelocated at one of the side surfaces of the second body.

In another aspect, the mobile terminal may include an antenna located inan upper part of the first body.

In still another aspect, the first body may include a recessed portionand the pair of side surfaces of the second body may at least partiallyoverlap the recessed portion when the portion of the front surface ofthe second body is exposed. In addition, the rear surface of the secondbody may at least partially overlap the recessed portion when theportion of the front surface of the second body is exposed.

In yet another aspect, the mobile terminal includes a sliding moduleconnecting the first body to the second body. Thee sliding module mayinclude a plate member connected to the first body, the plate memberincluding a pair of longitudinally extending plate edges, a slide memberlocated adjacent the plate member and connected to the second body, theslide member having a pair of rails configured to engage the pair oflongitudinally extending plate edges, and an elastic device locatedbetween the plate member and the slide member, the elastic deviceassisting with the sliding of the second body.

In another aspect, a portion of the first body may be inserted into thesecond body.

In still another aspect, the first body has a first thickness, thesecond body has a second thickness, and the sum of the first thicknessand the second thickness is more than an overall thickness of the mobileterminal at a location where the first body overlaps the second body.

In accordance with the purpose of the invention, a mobile terminalincludes a first body having a front surface, a second body slidablyconnected to the first body, a sliding module connecting the first bodyto the second body, and a display being visible at the front surface ofthe first body. The sliding module includes a plate member connected tothe first body, the plate member including a pair of longitudinallyextending plate edges, and a slide member located adjacent the platemember and connected to the second body, the slide member having a pairof rails configured to engage the pair of longitudinally extending plateedges. The display is at least partially disposed between the pair ofrails of the slide member

In another aspect, at least a portion of the pair of rails may be higherthan a lower surface of the display.

In yet another aspect, the sliding module may include an elastic devicelocated between the plate member and the slide member, the elasticdevice assisting with the sliding of the second body.

In still another aspect, the first body may include a pair of groovesformed on the rear surface, each of the rails being slidable within thecorresponding groove.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description of the present invention areexemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide furtherexplanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this application, illustrate embodiments of the invention andtogether with the description serve to explain the principle of theinvention. In the drawings:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are side sectional views illustrating a state where aconventional mobile terminal slides up and slides down, respectively;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views illustrating a state where a mobileterminal of the present invention slides up and slides down,respectively;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are side sectional view illustrating a state where amobile terminal according to a first embodiment of the present inventionslides up and slides down, respectively;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are side sectional view illustrating a state where amobile terminal according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention slides up and slides down, respectively;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are side sectional view illustrating a state where amobile terminal according to a third embodiment of the present inventionslides up and slides down, respectively;

FIGS. 11 and 12 are diagrams illustrating a rear surface of the mobileterminal in the state of FIGS. 5 and 6;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view illustrating a section of the mobileterminal shown taken along section line XIII-XIII in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a sliding device provided in themobile terminal of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of thepresent invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be usedthroughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the mobile terminal of the present inventionincludes a first body or main unit (M) and a second body or slide unit(S) slidable on a rear part 120 of the main unit (M). The main unitincludes a front part 110 in which a display window 111 is provided at afront surface 115 thereof to display predetermined information, an upperend part 130 defining an upper end of the mobile terminal and the rearpart 120 having a rear surface 117 that at least partially defines arear surface of the mobile terminal. The front part 110 may also includean input device 112, such as a touch pad, a navigation key, a jog wheel,or other similar input devices located at the front surface 115. Theslide unit (S) includes a slide body 310, a keypad 311 provided in afront surface 315 of the slide body 310 and a battery (not shown)detachable from a rear surface 317 of the slide body 310.

The rear part 120 of the main unit (M) extends a predetermined distancefrom the upper end part 130 and includes a holding portion 121, asliding part 123 and a stepped part 122. The holding portion 121 has apredetermined space to hold predetermined sub assemblies therein. Thesliding part 123 is stepped toward a front portion from the holdingportion 121 so that the slide unit (S) is slidable on the slide part 123and detailed description of the sliding part 123 will be described inreference with other drawings later. As such, the rear part 120 includesa pair of side surfaces 127 that connect the front surface 115 to therear surface 127. The stepped part 122 is stepped a predetermineddistance to connect the holding portion 121 with the sliding part 123.As shown, the holding portion 121 may be formed as a recessed portion inrear part 120.

A cover portion 320 is formed on the slide unit (S) to cover the holdingportion 121 when the slide unit (S) slides up, and to cover a rear spaceformed by the stepped part 122 and the slide unit (S) on the slidingpart 123 when the slide unit (S) slides down. It is understood that thecover portion 320 may include the rear surface 317. As shown, a pair ofside surfaces 327 connects the front surface 315 to the rear surface317. In addition, a portion of the pair of side surfaces 327 of theslide unit (S) overlaps a portion of the pair of side surfaces 127 ofthe main unit (M).

The main unit (M) and side unit (S) are slidably connected such that thepair of side surfaces 327 of the slide unit (S) are slidable along thepair of side surfaces 127 of the main unit (M) and that at least aportion of the front surface 315 of the slide unit (S) is exposed whenthe main unit (M) is moved with respect to the slide unit (S). Inaddition, the pair of side surfaces 327 of the slide unit (S) may atleast partially overlap the recessed portion of the holding part 121when the portion of the front surface 315 of the slide unit (S) isexposed. The rear surface 317of the slide unit (S) may at leastpartially overlap the recessed portion of the holding part 121 when theportion of the front surface 317 of the slide unit (S) is exposed.

FIGS. 5 to 10 are sectional views illustrating a section of the mobileterminal according to various exemplary embodiments and taken alongsection line V-V shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 13 is a sectional viewillustrating section of the mobile terminal taken along section lineXIII-XIII shown in FIG. 3.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the main unit (M) includes the front part110, the rear part 120 and the upper end part 130. A display 220 isinstalled in the front part 110 and visible through the front surface115 to display various kinds of information to a user through thedisplay window 111. An antenna 230 is installed in the upper end part130, which is a held antenna, to send/receive a wireless signal. Aspeaker 231 is installed in front of the antenna 230. Also, the rearpart 120 of the mobile terminal is defined as extend from the upper endpart 130 to a lower end of the mobile terminal.

The holding portion 121 is provided on a first portion of a rear of thedisplay 220. The sliding part 123 is provided on a second portion of therear of the display 220 to be stepped from the holding portion 121 forthe slide unit (S) to slide thereon.

It is understood that the first portion of the rear of the display 220could be an upper portion of the rear of the display 220, and the secondportion of the rear of the display 220 could be a lower portion of therear of the display 220. Hereinafter, the present invention is explainedwhere the first portion of the rear of the display 220 indicates theupper portion of the rear of the display 220, and the second portion ofthe rear of the display 220 indicates the lower portion of the rear ofthe display 220.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the front part 110, the upper end part 130,the holding portion 121, and the stepped part 122 are formed in a caseof the main unit (M). The holding portion 121, the stepped part 122 andthe sliding part 123 are provided in order from the upper end part 130to the lower end of the mobile terminal.

The holding portion 121 defines a space 250 provided in the firstportion of the rear of the display 220. The stepped part 122 is formedbetween the holding portion 121 and the sliding part 123 provided in therear part 120, and the width of the holding portion 121 is thicker thanthe width of the sliding part 123. As a result, a predetermined internalspace, space 250, is formed in the holding portion 121 of the rear part120 and a predetermined external space is formed outside of the slidingpart 123.

A plurality of circuitry supporting substrates 200 are installed inspace 250 in the holding portion 121 and the sliding unit (S) slides inthe external space formed by the sliding part 123.

The circuitry supporting substrates 200 are installed in the holdingportion 121. In a conventional mobile terminal, one main circuitrysupporting substrate is longitudinally installed from an upper end to alower end of the conventional mobile terminal. However, in the mobileterminal of the present invention, a plurality of circuitry supportingsubstrates 210 and 211, each being formed shorter in the length than theone main circuitry supporting substrate of the conventional mobileterminal, are adjacent to each other enough to be overlapped in space250. Thereby, the thickness between the front part 110 and the slidingpart 123 may be slimmer because the circuitry supporting substrates 200do not extend therein.

Since the thickness of the portion where the holding portion 121 isprovided, that is the thickness of the stepped part 122, isapproximately similar to the thickness of the slide unit (S), spaceefficiency is enhanced overall and the mobile terminal efficientlyutilizes what would otherwise be useless space so that the thickness ofthe mobile terminal can be slimmer. As a result, the functions of themobile terminal of the present invention can be the same as those of theconventional mobile terminal, but the overall thickness of the mobileterminal of the present invention is slimmer. For example, theindividual thickness of the main unit (M) plus the individual thicknessof the slide unit (S) is greater than the overall thickness of themobile device at a location where the main unit (M) overlaps the slideunit (S).

Also, it is preferred that the holding portion 121 and the slide unit(S) are substantially aligned on the rear of the display 220.

In this first exemplary embodiment, the plural circuitry supportingsubstrates 200 are partial circuitry supporting substrates, whichreplace a main circuitry supporting substrate used in the conventionalmobile terminal. That is, since the main circuitry supporting substrateis installed over substantially the entire length of the conventionalmobile terminal, there is a problem that useless space is created. Tosolve the problem, the main circuitry supporting substrate is adapted aspartial circuitry supporting substrates installed in what wouldotherwise be useless space appropriately. Alternatively, the maincircuitry supporting substrates or all of the circuitry supportingsubstrates installed in the mobile terminal, for example, a circuitrysupporting substrate for the display, may be partial circuitrysupporting substrates.

Also, since the antenna 230 is provided in the upper end part 130 of themain unit (M) in the front part 110 above the holding portion 121, thereis no limitation of antenna installation space like that found in theprior art and the installation space of the antenna 230 is located toovercome the problem that the conventional mobile terminal is thickerdue to an auxiliary space for an antenna.

Meanwhile, the display 220 installed between the front part 121 and thesliding part 123 is electrically connected to the circuitry supportingsubstrates 200 through a connection member 221. Preferably, theconnection member 221 is a flexible circuitry supporting substrate.Unlike the conventional element required to connect the main circuitrysupporting substrate and the LCD in the conventional mobile terminal,which passes through the LCD part and the body part and needs to belonger to allow for movement of the LCD part with respect to the bodypart, the connection member 221 of the present invention is installed inspare space formed in an upper portion within the main unit (M) toconnect the display 220 to the circuitry supporting substrates 200.Thereby, the inner structure of the mobile terminal may be simpler andthe mobile terminal may be slimmer.

The slide unit (S), which is slidable on the sliding part 123, includesa slide body 310, a keypad 311 and a battery 312. The slide body 310defines an exterior of the slide unit (S) and the keypad 311 isinstalled on a surface of the slide body 310 for a user to operate akey. The battery 312 is attachable/detachable to/from the other surfaceof the slide body 310 to supply power to the mobile terminal.

A rear surface of the case defines an exterior of the main unit (M) mayform a sliding part 123 so that the slide unit (S) may slidingly move onthe rear surface of the case provided in the main unit (M).

If a sliding device for semi-automatic sliding is installed between therear surface of the case and the slide unit (S), the mobile terminal maybe thicker. Thus, when the rear surface of the case provided in the mainunit (M) is removed, it is preferred that the sliding device forms therear surface of the case. That is, the sliding device defines a rearsurface of the main unit (M) and the sliding device is a sliding part123, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the sliding part 123 is the sliding device orsliding module, which includes a plate member 410, a slide member 420and an elastic device 430 (not shown, see FIGS. 13 and 14). The slidemember 420 slides on a rear surface of the plate member 410 and theelastic device (not shown) is installed between the slide member 420 andthe plate member 410. The detailed description of the sliding deviceformed as a sliding part 123 will be described with reference to FIG.13.

As shown in FIG. 13, a display window 111 is provided on a front part110 and defines a front surface of the mobile terminal according to thepresent invention. The display 220 is installed in the display window111 and a plate member 410 is provided on a rear of the display 220.

That is, the plate member 410 is installed on the lower portion of therear of the display. The plate member 410 includes a pair oflongitudinally extending plate edges 411 protruded from the display 220.The width of the plate member 410 including the pair of plate edges 411is greater than that of the display 220.

The slide member 420 is slidable on the rear surface of the plate member410. The slide member 420 has a combining part 422 connected to theslide unit (S), and a pair of rails 421 are provided on opposite sidesof the slide member 420 and the rails 421 slide on the plate edges 411of the plate member 410, wherein the side ends of the rails 421 arepositioned adjacent to the sides of the display 220 so that the display220 is at least partially disposed between the pair of rails 421 of theslide member 420. For example, at least a portion of the pair of rails421 is higher than a lower surface of the display 220.

Each of the rails 421 is bent to cover respective plate edges 411 of theplate member 410 so that the slide member 420 may slideupwardly/downwardly along the plate edges 411 of the plate member 410.

Since the slide member 420 is connected to the slide body 310 of theslide unit (S), the slide unit (S) may slide on the plate member 410together with the slide member 420. Since the rail 421 is sliding on aside surface of the display 220, not on a rear surface of the display220, the mobile terminal can be slimmer. That is shown in side sectionalviews of FIGS. 5 to 10. Seen from a side of the mobile terminal, theslide member 420 slidingly moves on a side surface of the display 220.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, a guiding groove 112 is formed onboth sides of the front part 110 so that the rail 421 may slide in theguiding groove 112.

That sliding motion is shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 of a rear surface of themobile terminal illustrating the sliding motion in detail and FIG. 14illustrates the sliding device installed on a rear surface of thedisplay part 220 in detail, which will be described later.

With reference to the rear surface structure of the mobile terminalshown in FIGS. 11 and 12, a first embodiment of the present inventionillustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 will be described. A flexible circuitrysupporting substrate 500 is arranged between the stepped part 122 and anupper end of the slide body 310 to connect at least one of the pluralityof circuitry supporting substrates 210 and 211 to the slide unit (S).The flexible circuitry supporting substrate 500 transmits/processes anelectric signal among the keypad 311 and the battery 312 of the slideunit (S), and the circuitry supporting substrates 200, and is repeatedlyfolded/unfolded by the sliding motion of the slide unit (S). That is,when the slide unit (S) slides down (see FIGS. 5 and 6), the flexiblecircuitry supporting substrate 500 is unfolded. When the slide unit (S)slides up, the stepped part 122 is spaced apart from the slide body 310a predetermined distance to provide the least amount of space to holdthe flexible circuitry supporting substrate 500.

As shown in FIGS. 5 to 10, the flexible circuitry supporting substrate500 is installed in a rear space formed by the stepped part 122, thesliding part 123, and the slide body 310. Preferably, a cover member isprovided to cover the rear space so that the flexible circuitrysupporting substrate 500 is prevented from being exposed outside.

The cover member may be varied in various embodiments. FIGS. 5 and 6illustrate a first embodiment of the cover member. The cover member isembodied as a cover portion 320 extending from the slide body 310 of theslide unit (S) toward the upper end part 130. The cover portion 320 maybe fastened to the slide body 310 of the slide unit (S) or be formed asone body with the slide body 310. When the slide unit (S) slides up (seeFIGS. 5 and 6), the cover portion 320 covers the holding portion 121 ofthe main unit (M). When the slide unit (S) slides down (see FIGS. 6 and12), the cover portion 320 covers the rear space formed by the steppedpart 122, the sliding part 123, and the slide body 310.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a camera 240 of the mobile terminal accordingto the first embodiment of the present invention is provided in theholding portion 121 to be exposed outside. A seating hole 241 is formedon a portion of the holding portion 121 where the camera 240 is providedto prevent the camera 240 from being projected outside. The camera 240is projected toward the inside of the holding portion 121. When thecamera 240 has high pixels, the camera 240 is thicker. As a result, ahole (not shown) may be formed on at least one circuitry supportingsubstrate 211 adjacent to the holding portion 121 to insert theprojected portion of the camera 240 therein. When the camera 240 is notso thick, the camera 240 may be installed without the hole.

Since the camera 240 is not projected outside, the cover portion 320 mayslidingly move without any interference when the slide unit (S)slidingly moves. When the slide unit (S) slides up, the cover portion320 covers the camera 240, and the camera 240 cannot be used (see FIGS.5 and 11). When the slide unit (S) slides down, the camera 240 isexposed and it can be used (see FIGS. 6 and 12). The camera 240 may takea picture, a moving picture, a picture for special effects and all otherpossible pictures.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate a second exemplary embodiment of the covermember of the mobile terminal according to the present invention. Acover portion 124 extends downwardly a predetermined distance from theholding portion 121.

That is, in the second exemplary embodiment, the rear part 120 of themain unit (M) further includes a cover portion 124 extended from theholding portion 121.

Preferably, when the slide unit (S) slides down, an upper end of theslide body 310 does not escape from a lower end of the cover portion124. The sliding device may control that or an auxiliary stopper may beprovided.

The other configurations of the second embodiment drawn in FIG. 7 and 8are the same as those of the first embodiment. More specifically, theconfiguration of the main unit including the front part 110, the upperend part 130, the display 220, the antenna 230, the camera 240, thecircuitry supporting substrates 200, and the configuration of the slideunit (S) are the same as those of the first embodiment except the coverportion 320 suggested in the first embodiment. The configuration of thesliding part 123 including the plate member 410, the slide member 420,and the elastic device 430 is also the same as that of the firstembodiment, except that the camera 240 is not covered by the coverportion 124 and is always exposed.

In a third exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, the slideunit (S) also includes a slide body 310, a keypad 311, a battery 312 anda cover portion 320 like the first embodiment. The main unit (M) alsoincludes a front part 110, an upper end part 130, a display 220, anantenna 230, a camera 240, and circuitry supporting substrates 200 likethe first embodiment. The only difference is in the configuration of thepart 120 of the main unit (M). A hole 125 a is formed on an insert part125 of the camera 240 to expose the camera 240.

That is, the rear part 120 of the mobile terminal according to the thirdembodiment includes a holding portion 121, a stepped part 122, and asliding part 123. The insert part 125 extends from an upper end of theholding portion 121 to allow for insertion of the cover portion 320 ofthe slide unit (S) therein.

As shown FIG. 9, when the slide unit (S) slides up, the slide unit (S)slidingly moves upwardly to more fully insert the cover portion 320 inthe insert part 125. As shown in FIG. 10, when the slide unit (S) slidesdown, the slide unit (S) slidingly moves downwardly to partially removethe cover portion 320 from the insert part 125.

In that case, when the slide unit (S) slides down as shown in FIG. 10,it is preferred that the upper end of the cover portion 320 iscontrolled so as not to be completely pulled out of a lower end of theinsert part 125 by a sliding device or an auxiliary stopper.

As shown in FIG. 14, the sliding device of the exemplary embodimentswill be described in further detail. A slide member 420 is installed ona rear surface of the plate member 410 to slidingly move. A rail 421 isbent at both opposite side ends of the slide member 420 to cover theopposite side ends of the plate member 410 so that the slide member isslidable on the plate member 410. A combining hole 422 is provided on arear surface of the slide member 420 to be combined with a connectingpart 313 (see FIGS. 5 to 10) of the slide unit (S).

An elastic device 430 is installed between the plate member 410 and theslide member 420. The elastic device includes a first member 431rotatably fixed to a side of the plate member 410 and a second member432 rotatably fixed to the slide member 420 so that the first member 431and the second member 432 are alternated such that a predeterminedportion of the first and second member 431 and 432 may be overlapped.Also, an elastic member 433 connects the first member 431 and the secondmember 432 of the elastic device 430 and has a predetermined tension.

Thus, when the slide member 420 is moved a predetermined distance by apredetermined external force such that the slide member 420 slideseither upward or downward, the first member 431 and the second member432 of the elastic device 430 are overlapped more and the elastic member433 receives maximum tension to maximize elastic restitution. Once theelastic member 433 reaches maximum tension, any further motion upward ordownward is assisted by the elastic member 433 as it returns to thepre-tensed state.

With reference to FIGS. 11 and 12, the sliding motion of the mobileterminal according to the present invention will be described. The FIGS.11 and 12 illustrate the above semi-automatic sliding motion. When auser applies a predetermined external force to slide the slide unit (S)downwardly from a closed state shown in FIG. 11, the elastic device 430assists due to the elastic restitution to move the slide unit (S) to anopen state shown in FIG. 12.

The mobile terminal having the above configuration has an advantageouseffect that the mobile terminal may be slimmer, because the limitationof the prior art is overcome and it utilize what would otherwise beuseless space. Also, when the slide unit (S) slides down, the upperportion of the mobile terminal may have relatively heavier weight togive a user confidence in the strength of the main unit (M). Thereby,the mobile terminal of the present invention has another advantageouseffect that usage satisfaction of the mobile terminal may be enhanced.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made in the present inventionwithout departing from the spirit or scope of the inventions. Thus, itis intended that the present invention covers the modifications andvariations of this invention provided they come within the scope of theappended claims and their equivalents.

1. A mobile terminal comprising: a first body having a front surface, arear surface, and a pair of side surfaces connecting the front surfaceto the rear surface, the pair of side surfaces extending in alongitudinal direction of the first body and being spaced apart in awidth direction; a display located at the front surface of the firstbody; and a second body having a front surface, a rear surface, and apair of side surfaces connecting the front surface to the rear surface,the pair of side surfaces extending in a longitudinal direction of thesecond body, the second body being moveable with respect to the firstbody to expose a portion of the front surface of the second body,wherein the pair of side surfaces of the second body are slidable alongthe pair of side surfaces of the first body, and wherein a portion ofthe pair of side surfaces of the second body is located outwardly of aportion of the pair of side surfaces of the first body in the widthdirection so that the portion of the pair of side surfaces of the secondbody overlaps the portion of the pair of side surfaces of the first bodyin the width direction.
 2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, furthercomprising an input device located at the front surface of the firstbody.
 3. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the input deviceincludes a touch pad.
 4. The mobile terminal of claim 2, furthercomprising a keypad located at the front surface of the second body. 5.The mobile terminal of claim 4, further comprising a camera located atthe rear surface of the first body.
 6. The mobile terminal of claim 5,further comprising an input device located at one of the side surfacesof the second body.
 7. The mobile terminal of claim 1, furthercomprising an antenna located in an upper part of the first body.
 8. Themobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the pair of side surfacesof the first body includes a recessed portion and the pair of sidesurfaces of the second body at least partially overlaps the recessedportion when the portion of the front surface of the second body isexposed.
 9. The mobile terminal according to claim 8, wherein the rearsurface of the second body at least partially overlaps the recessedportion when the portion of the front surface of the second body isexposed.
 10. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, furthercomprising a sliding module connecting the first body to the secondbody, the sliding module including: a plate member connected to thefirst body, the plate member including a pair of longitudinallyextending plate edges; a slide member located adjacent the plate memberand connected to the second body, the slide member having a pair ofrails configured to engage the pair of longitudinally extending plateedges; and an elastic device located between the plate member and theslide member, the elastic device assisting with the sliding of thesecond body.
 11. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein aportion of the first body is inserted into the second body.
 12. Themobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the first body has a firstthickness, the second body has a second thickness, and the sum of thefirst thickness and the second thickness is more than an overallthickness of the mobile terminal at a location where the first bodyoverlaps the second body.
 13. A mobile terminal comprising: a first bodyhaving a front surface; a second body slidably connected to the firstbody; a sliding module connecting the first body to the second body, thesliding module including: a plate member connected to the first body,the plate member including a pair of longitudinally extending plateedges; and a slide member located adjacent the plate member andconnected to the second body, the slide member having a pair of railsconfigured to engage the pair of longitudinally extending plate edges;and a display at least partially disposed between the pair of rails ofthe slide member, the display being visible at the front surface of thefirst body.
 14. The mobile terminal according to claim 13, wherein atleast a portion of the pair of rails is higher than a lower surface ofthe display.
 15. The mobile terminal according to claim 13, wherein thesliding module includes an elastic device located between the platemember and the slide member, the elastic device assisting with thesliding of the second body.
 16. The mobile terminal according to claim13, wherein the first body includes a pair of grooves formed on the rearsurface, each of the rails being slidable within the correspondinggroove.
 17. A mobile terminal comprising: a first body having a frontsurface, a rear surface, and a pair of side surfaces connecting thefront surface to the rear surface, the pair of side surfaces extendingin a longitudinal direction of the first body and being spaced apart ina width direction; a display located at the front surface of the firstbody; an input device located at the front surface of the first body; asecond body having a front surface, a rear surface, and a pair of sidesurfaces connecting the front surface to the rear surface, the pair ofside surfaces extending in a longitudinal direction of the second body,the second body being moveable with respect to the first body to exposea portion of the front surface of the second body, the pair of sidesurfaces of the second body being slidable along the pair of sidesurfaces of the first body, and a portion of the pair of side surfacesof the second body being located outwardly of a portion of the pair ofside surfaces of the first body in the width direction so that theportion of the pair of side surfaces of the second body overlaps theportion of the pair of side surfaces of the first body in the widthdirection; a keypad located at the front surface of the second body; andan input device located at one of the side surfaces of the second body.18. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein at least one of the inputdevice includes a touch pad.
 19. The mobile terminal of claim 17,further comprising a camera located at the rear surface of the firstbody.
 20. The mobile terminal of claim 17, further comprising an antennalocated in an upper part of the first body.
 21. The mobile terminalaccording to claim 17, wherein a portion of the first body is insertedinto the second body.